Fold the trifolded paper in half to form a V. / Jackie Rehwald/News-Leader

Insert fingers and thumb into the pockets to make your puppet 'talk.' Now it's time to decorate your puppet. / Jackie Rehwald/News-Leader

Add eyes and nose to the top section; add a tongue so it sticks out from the third section down. Then fold and play.

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Looking for quick, easy fun? Hand puppets take only a few minutes to make and will bring stories and playacting to life for young children. We made a frog, but any animal is possible. Add floppy ears and a brown nose to make a dog. Add long, pointy ears, buckteeth teeth and whiskers for a bunny.

You’ll need: construction paper, scissors, glue and a marker.

Do this: With paper positioned horizontally, fold into thirds; first the left side, then right side. With the tri-folded paper positioned vertically, fold so the bottom edge meets the top (to form a “V”). Fold again so it looks like a “W” — start by folding the top edge of one side to meet the center crease. Flip over and do the same to the other side. To make it work as a puppet, tuck your fingers into the “pocket” on one end; tuck your thumb into the other “pocket.” Make it “talk” by bringing thumb and fingers together, then apart.

Decorate: Give your puppet a face and tongue. Lay the puppet on a table so it looks like a vertical “M” and flatten so you see four divided surfaces. Create the face in the top section. Glue or tape a tongue on the third section, just below the middle crease (so the tongue is sticking out at you).

• A how-to photo gallery is online with this story at HeyMom.News-Leader.com.